Money, marijuana confiscated in central Columbia drug raid

A “couple thousand dollars” were seized in what police officers say are drug profits and a small amount of marijuana from a central Columbia residence Tuesday evening after serving a search warrant for cocaine.

Columbia police officers served the search warrant at 312 LaSalle Place at 6:55 p.m. Tuesday. A resident was detained and later released, Sgt. Scott Young said in a news release.

Police Captain Brad Nelson said the investigation is still ongoing, adding that the department’s narcotics unit and 23-member Special Tactics and Response Team have been asked to concentrate on central Columbia neighborhoods in response to a recent upsurge in violence.

The corner of LaSalle Place and Allen Street, less than one block from Tuesday’s drug bust, has been the scene of three reported shootouts in recent months — one in April and two in June.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests had been made in connection with Tuesday’s search warrant, Nelson said.